Boot or shoe lacing



(No Model) J. L. GLENN, Jr. BOOT 0R SHOE LAGING.

No. 584,346. Patented. June 15,1897,

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Prion.

*rnn'r JAMES LYLE GLENN, JR, OF CLARKSVILLE, TENNESSEE.

BOOT OR SHOE LACING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,346, dated June 15, 1897.

Application filed March 1 1396- 'i/"o all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JAMES LYLE GLENN, J12, a citizen of the United States, residing at Olarksville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot or Shoe Lacin gs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and improved means for lacing boots, shoes, &c., and the primary object is to provide a simple, convenient, inexpensive, and efficient contrivahce for lacing and securing the upper parts .or vamp of the shoe together, whereby the shoe maybe put on and taken off the foot without touching the string with the hand, the pressure of the foot in entering or in being taken from the shoe causing the string to run through the eyes of the studs or eyelets, so that the shoe will readily open automatically, as it were, for the insertion or removal of the foot, and so that after the shoe has been put on the foot it may be laced uniformly from top to bottom by simply pulling the ends of the string and may give equal pressure on the foot at all points.

The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In the drawings, in which similar letters of reference are used to denote similar parts, Figure 1 represents a plan of a shoe with my improvement applied thereto, showing the contiguous edges of the vamp secured together. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the string untied and the shoe open, so as to illustrate the operation in inserting the foot. Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the studs or eyelets detached from the shoe, showing a plan view and a horizontal section thereof; and Fig. 4 represents afront and a side elevation of one of the studs or eyelets detached.

I have illustrated the invention applied to an ordinary shoe somewhat after the manner of applying the usual lace with hooks and eyes, except the method of lacing, to which attention will be more particularly hereinaf- Serial No. 585,451. (No model.)

ter directed. It will be understood, of course, that while the improvement is especially designed for use in lacing shoes, boots, &c., it may be applied to other analogous uses, and hence I do not desire to be limited in the application of the invention to the particular uses mentioned. The peculiar eyelet may also be used, if desired, in connection with eyelets and hooks of common form-that is, a series of my eyelets may take the place of the usual series of hooks, such as are commonly employed, or may be substituted for the usual series of eyelets in connection with the usual arrangement of hooks, such applications of theinvention being obvious to those familiar with the construction and uses of such devices.

In the form shown the shoe A is provided at the lower portion of the vamp with a pair of ordinary eyelets a a, and above the same with a series of eyelets or studs B B, constructed in accordance with my invention. These eyelets B B may be arranged, as shown, according to the usual manner of arranging the eyelets and hooks along the contiguous edges of the vamp for securing the same together by means of an ordinary shoestring. The peculiar construction of said studs or eyelets is shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. The several eyelets being alike a description of one will answer for all. Each eyelet consists of an eyepiece or head which is formed or provided with a pendent (preferably hollow) stem or projection b for riveting or otherwise securing the same to the shoe and has an opening b theret-hrough, arranged transversely of the axis of the stem. The general contour of the head is preferably approximately triangular in form when viewed either from above or from the sides thereof, and it has rounded surfaces both exteriorly and interiorly of the eye or opening 1), so as to provide an upright portion or bar 19 of oval or rounded shape in cross-section adapted to engage and hold the string with free running movement without presenting sharp angles, and also a laterally and longitudinally rounded portion or arch 12 which rises from the base portion 17 of the head or eyepiece and extends upwardly and forwardly in a gentle curve and with forwardly-converging sides to its junction with the bar 6 at which point out through the ordinary eyelets aaat the base of the divided parts of the upper, and from this point each portion of the string may pass across diagonallyto the next adjasv cent eyelet B, then across from eyelet to eyelet in a zigzag line until the fourth eyelet from the top is reached, when the string may pass directly to the next eyelet above onthe samesside;then diagon-allyacross and through the nexteyeletyabove on the oppositeside, andthen up through the last eyelet in the series, where the two ends of the string may be tiedtogether, so that when'the lace is loosenedthe contiguous edges of the shoeupper or'vainp may be spread apart, as shown in, Fig. 2, without pulling the ends of ithelacing' out 'of the eyelets and may be drawn together and secured by-sim'ply pulling theends ofthe stringand'tyingithem, as shown in'Fig. 1. I thusse'c-ure 'a very simple andeftici-ent'fastening for boots, =shoes, &c. ,"without the ob-' .jectionable features which are incident to contrivances of thissame general character heretofore employed. With eyelets of "the usual construction now in common use there is ordinarily *so much friction between the arate parts, so as to draw the contiguous parts of the vamp together; thus rendering the o per-- 'ation of securing and lacing a-shoe a tedious and laborious task, whilewith hooks in combination with the usual eyelets there is great wear'and' tear uponthe-strin-gs, can sed by-con- "tact with the hooks,'and in'removing the shoe it is necessary to disconnect the parts of the stringfronrthe hooks and to again connect 'thenrwhen the'shoe is replaced, andt-he -fric- 'tionbetween the hooks and the strin'gis so greatast-orender it necessary to draw-or pull withconsiderable force upon "the different sections of the string, which is not only annoying and disagreeable, but-the string -is soonwornout,-rendering-it necessary to replace thestrings with newones :after a short. time. My improvement overcomes these-objectionable features and provides a :contrivanceby which the shoe is adapted to open easily as 'thefoot is inserted, and-vice versa, and in lacing or tightening the shoe after inserting the foot the contiguous edges of the vamp may be secured together by simply drawing upon the ends of the string and tying them in the usual manner.

I am aware'that eyelets forshoes have heretofore been formed with an eyepiece arranged transversely of a pendent projection or prong by which the eyelet may be fastened to the maybe used, and hence lmakeno broad claim to such contrivances.

' Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire toseoure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is-

1. As an article of manufacture a-stud or eyelet for boots, shoes, &c., consisting of an eyepiece or head having a pendent stem or shank for securing the same to the shoe; said head having an opening or eye thereof the stem, and having an upright integral rounded portionor bar at the front of said eye and an upwardly andrforwardlycurved the base of 'the' head back of the eye to its junction with said bar and formed with inclinedsi-des whichconverge toward and merge insaidbar; the exteriorsurfaces of vthe head andithesu-rfaces within and about said eye being-roundedso asnotto present sharp an- .r'gles for catching onto the :clothing or wearing the "string, substantially as described.

2. As an articleof manufacture a-stud or eyelet for "boots, shoes, &c., consi-sting of an eyepiece or head having. a pendent stem or shank for securingthe sameto the shoe; "said head being approximately triangular when viewed from aboveonthe sidesthereof and havingan opening or eye therethrou'gh arranged transversely of the axis of the stem, an upright integral rounded bar atthe front of said eye, and an upwardly andforwa'rdly curved portion extending in agradual curve from the basepf the head back of the eye-to its junction with said bar and formed with merge in said her; the surfaces of the head withinandabout said cyevbeing rounded so as not topresent sharp angles for catching onto the clothing or wearing the string, substantially 'as described.

-In testimonywhereof I affix my signature in presence of two-witnesses.

JAMES LYLE "GLENN,- JR. Witnesses:

- J .0. KENDRICK,

WM. DoRIrY.

vamp of a shoe or other article with which itthrough arranged transversely of :theaxis .portion extending in a gradual curve, from inclined sides which .r'converge toward and 

